This scene was very strange.
Ye Qiu turned back to look at Elder Longbrow and asked, “Old man, what’s going on here?”
“Maybe it’s because you’re too ugly, so the miasma’s afraid of you,” Elder Longbrow said.
Ye Qiu glared at him, “Be serious.”
Elder Longbrow shook his head, “I’ve never encountered this before, I don’t know.”
Ye Qiu took a few more steps forward, and the result was the same.
The miasma parted automatically.
Soon, Ye Qiu had ventured deep into the miasma, his figure vanishing.
“Uncle Master, did you notice something just now?” Shuisheng asked.
Elder Longbrow sighed, “Shuisheng, when I’m gone, follow Ye Qiu.”
“Uncle Master, didn’t you say I should stay at Dragon Tiger Mountain? Why are you telling me to follow Dr. Ye now?” Shuisheng asked, his face full of confusion.
“Ye Qiu’s luck defies the heavens, if you follow him, your future will be bright. Of course, you must remember, no matter where you are, you’ll always be one of us from Dragon Tiger Mountain.”
“Oh,” Shuisheng replied.
Just then, the miasma suddenly stirred, closing in again.
Shuisheng’s face paled in fright, “The miasma’s coming, Uncle Master, why’s it moving all of a sudden?”
Elder Longbrow understood in an instant.
“It didn’t dare come earlier because it feared the power of destiny on the Chosen One, now that Ye Qiu’s gone, it has no fear.”
Elder Longbrow’s expression grew grave as he quickly pulled a talisman from his robe and handed it to Shuisheng, “Shuisheng, this is a life-saving talisman, take it.”
“It’s the only one Dragon Tiger Mountain has.”
“As long as you hold this talisman, the miasma can’t harm you.”
Shuisheng took the talisman, then realised something and asked, “Uncle Master, there’s only one talisman, if you give it to me, what about you?”
“I’m already a dying man, better you have it than me clinging to life,” Elder Longbrow instructed, “Shuisheng, I won’t be able to protect you forever, you must take care of yourself.”
“Also, I won’t get the chance to find the Heavenly Master’s Sword in this lifetime, that task falls to you.”
“Don’t be afraid, Ye Qiu will help you.”
Tears welled up in Shuisheng’s eyes, “Uncle Master—”
“Shuisheng, don’t cry, a man lives one life, like grass through one autumn, in the end, none escape a handful of yellow earth. The road ahead is long, you must learn to be brave, to be strong, you’ll face many hardships, take care of yourself, go now!”
Elder Longbrow waved his hand.
Hearing this, Shuisheng sobbed uncontrollably, dropping to his knees with a thud and kowtowing three times respectfully to Elder Longbrow.
“This disciple bids farewell to the Sect Leader.”
“This parting is forever, life and death severed.”
“Uncle Master… take care!”
After speaking, Shuisheng quickly shoved the talisman back into Elder Longbrow’s hand, stepped back two paces, and stood before the miasma.
Elder Longbrow froze for a moment before reacting, roaring, “Shuisheng, what are you doing? Get back here!”
“Uncle Master, if you and Master hadn’t taken me in, I’d have died twenty years ago.”
“You and Master saved my life, raised me, a debt I can never repay in this lifetime.”
“So, if someone has to die today, let it be me, I miss Master a little anyway.”
“Uncle Master, may we meet again in the next life, may I still be a disciple of Dragon Tiger Mountain, still be your nephew.”
“Goodbye!”
Shuisheng waved, then stepped back into the miasma with a smile.
“Shuisheng, come back!”
“You little bastard, get back here now!”
“You dare disobey me, I’ll beat you to death…”
Elder Longbrow cursed, tears streaming down his face.
By now, the miasma was closing in on him.
Just as it was about to engulf him, the talisman in his hand shattered, emitting a shimmering white light.
In an instant, the light expanded into a circle, like a protective shield, encasing Elder Longbrow.
The miasma was entirely blocked outside the circle.
Elder Longbrow stood and strode forward.
…
Ye Qiu walked about a hundred metres and fully emerged from the miasma’s reach.
The journey had been smooth, with no danger at all.
“A hundred metres isn’t short, what’s the best way to get the old man and Shuisheng out?”
Ye Qiu furrowed his brow, pondering solutions.
After a while.
Suddenly—
Faint footsteps came from within the miasma.
Could someone be hiding in there?
Ye Qiu’s heart jolted, he spun around, swiftly activating his Heavenly Eye, his vision piercing through the miasma.
The next second, his eyes nearly popped out.
“How is this possible?”
Ye Qiu couldn’t believe it.
There was Shuisheng, strolling through the miasma, looking around curiously, completely unprotected yet unharmed.
“The miasma clearly contains deadly poison, how is he fine?”
Suddenly, a possibility struck Ye Qiu.
“Could the old man have been telling the truth, is Shuisheng really a natural-born saint?”
A so-called natural-born saint is one blessed by destiny at birth, endowed with immense luck, able to turn calamity into fortune and danger into safety.
About five minutes later, Shuisheng emerged from the miasma.
Seeing Ye Qiu, he said with delight, “Oh, Dr. Ye, you’re here!”
“How did you get through that miasma?” Ye Qiu asked.
“I just walked through!” Shuisheng said, “Uncle Master said it’s poisonous, but I didn’t feel a thing, I think he might be tricking me.”
Ye Qiu replied, “He wasn’t tricking you, the miasma is indeed toxic.”
Shuisheng paused, scratched his bald head, and said, “Maybe it’s because I’m so handsome, the miasma couldn’t bear to hurt me?”
Shameless!
Ye Qiu rolled his eyes and asked, “Where’s the old man?”
“Uncle Master’s still in the miasma, but don’t worry, Dr. Ye, he’s got a life-saving talisman, he should be out soon…”
Before Shuisheng finished, Elder Longbrow’s figure appeared.
At the same moment, the light circle around him vanished.
“Old man, you alright?” Ye Qiu asked.
“I’m fine,” Elder Longbrow said, stunned to see Shuisheng standing with Ye Qiu, “You little brat, did you save Shuisheng?”
Ye Qiu shook his head and recounted what he’d seen to Elder Longbrow.
“I get it, a natural-born saint, immune to all poisons.”
Elder Longbrow laughed heartily, then swung a slap at Shuisheng’s head, scolding, “You little bastard, you’ve got some guts, daring to defy my orders.”
“Uncle Master, we’re all fine, isn’t that great?” Shuisheng said, aggrieved.
Smack!
Elder Longbrow landed another slap on Shuisheng’s forehead, “Next time you dare go against my orders, I’ll finish you off.”
“Alright, old man, let’s get moving!”
Ye Qiu said, then took the lead forward.
Elder Longbrow and Shuisheng followed close behind.
Soon, they arrived before two mountain peaks.
Between the peaks lay a canyon.
And, as before, a stone tablet stood at the canyon’s entrance.
